Google Analytics comes to Mobile Apps

The mobile revolution – we have discussed it before and now it seems Google has finally caught up, with the launch of their new Mobile App Analytics tool. A great, but slightly delayed move considering the huge leap we have witnessed from web to mobile use over the last 18 months.

The free tool is designed to give developers (and the brands they work for) data about who is using the apps, how they’re using it and if that use is leading to purchases.

JiaJing Wang, product manager for the Google Analytics Team, says that such data is already out there, but not all in one place. “You can get information in different places,” he says, “but you can’t engage from it and make a determination from it.” Basically, instead of using 5 different sources to gather information about an app and its users, Google’s Mobile App Analytics tool will house all of said information and more in one place, saving time and headaches.

Google’s new analytics covers the three main stages of an app’s relationship with users — acquisition and user metrics, engagement, and outcome. When it comes to user acquisition, developers can now track new and active users, and how that breaks down across different app versions, devices, and operating system. On engagement, Google Analytics includes data like usage frequency, engagement flow, and crash reports. Finally, on outcomes, Mobile App Analytics will show conversions, to whatever goal is important to the developer/brand, and in-app purchases.